Keyboard.



1. H. HOTSON.

KEYBOARD. APPLICATION FILED Mov. 5. I9I2. l ,il 46',5?0 Patented .my 13, 1915.

, 2 SHEETSQSHEET 2. i f 71, ff Z4 iz y I W m lef tesi* nviuiaeiecorr JOEE H HOTSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEWYORK, ASSIGNT TYIEVHTER SPEED 'l'it Y COMPANY, A ,CORPOELATIGN 0F NEVI YRK.

KEYB OAR/D.

Application led November 5, 1912.

To all '1.0710771 'it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. Ho'rson, a citizen o t the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Keyboards, of i Yhich the following is a specil'ication.

This invention relates to keyboards .for ypewriters, adding machines, and the like, and the various features of construction and operation included therein are designed niore especially for embodiment in attachable or auxiliary keys adapted to be applied to or removed from the regular key buttons forming part of the machine, the general ob- Iiect of .the invention being to increase the speed, certainty and ease of writing and to guard against injury to the fingers.

i special object is Ito provide auxiliary keys having simple and secure fastening means whereby lthey may be easil i sprung on. and oil' ordinary or regular key-buttons. A. further object is to provide a novel and ,advantageous assemblage of clamp or sup-v porting member, cap, ai'idiiiteijjwsed spring cushion and guiding and connecting ineinbers. Another object is to provide a simpler. structure .for guarding the cushion spring and guiding members and for deflecting niis` directed iinger'blows.

Still another object is to provide a cap with e separate extension piece, or with an extension of different material or appearance, and preferably with one that may be applied to or removed from the cap' or reversed in position, constituting an attaclr able and detachable extension of the striking surface.

These and other objects are attained by the key cmistru'ctions hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein such preferred embodiments are illustinted. ln these drawings, Figure l is a plan View of part of a keyboard embodying the features of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevition of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical loiigitudinal section through one of the attachable keys, showing it applied to a permanent key in elevation; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the same, on the line 4-4 of 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation show- Specieaton of Letters ??atent.

'Fig l0 is a vertical section on A10--10 of Fig.

Patented July i3, itt/titi'.

Serial No. 729,703.

is ahorizontal section on the line G-G of Fig. 3, looking down; .F ig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking up; Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through another of the keys; Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9- ofFig. 3; they line 9; Fig. ll is a schematic view showing a curved reinforce plate about to be secured in the clamp or attaching shell by means of pressure to flatten the plate; Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the operation completed; Fig. i8 a` horizontal section on the line lll of Fig. 1 2, and Fig. -i is aside elevation showing a diillerent embodiment of certain features of the invention. Y

'.lhe invention is shown applied to a typewriter keyboard having four rows of keys, though it is not limited to this foi-in of keyboard. rthe keys a of the lirst row are pro*- vided with extensions l0 at the front, the keys 7) of the second row are without extensions, 'the keys c of the third row are provided with extcnsions l0 at the back, and the keys (Z of the fourth row are sions but are provided with skirts 1l herein after more fully described, which prevent the lingers when aimed at the keys of the third row striking the supporting springs of the keys of the last row and deflect such inisdirected blows forward and downward onto 'the third row keys. While this is the preferred arrangement of the keyboard, it will be understood that extensions such as l0 may be applied to any keys, 'either at the front or back, where it may be deemedde sirable to have additional striking surface, and that keys other than those of the back row may be provided with the skirts 1l.

With the exception of the extensions 10 and the skirts 1l the construction of all the keys is preferably similar. They comprise clamps l2 constructed so as to be sprung on and oil' regular key buttonsnsuch as shown at 13, :aps 14 yieldable bodily relatively to the clamps, a'cushion spring15 interposed in the space between the clamp ing and retaining pins or studs 16.

The clanip lf) is made of sheet metaland constittes a cover for the key button on it is placed. 'its shown it comprises without extenandcap, and guidjecting spring means to grip or snap under the sides of the permanent key button 13, the said means preferably consisting of claws 17 and 18 at front and back, there being two of each and the front claws being preferably shorter than the back claws and turned in, whereas the lower portions of the back claws flare out, shown at 19. 1t is desirable to make the front claws 17 just long enough so that their tip ends project below and slightly under the bottom edge of thc permanent key button. The back claws 1S curve in and then flare out at their lower portions as just described, the innermost or holding portions of these claws hey ing located so as to come just under thc bottom edge of the key button. 1n addition to these holding devices, the top of the clamp is provided with shallow downward projecting circular side walls Q0 which receive the sides of the key button and assist in properly locating the auxiliary key on the permanent key.

rl`he top of the clamp is provided with a marginal shoulder Q1 forming a seat which rests on top of the key button 13 or the raised rim thereof and serves to elevate the central portion of the top, so that be tween it and the depressed surface of the permanent key button an adequate chamber is formed to permit the play of the heads of the pins 1G. f 1f the surface of the permanent key button is flush the distance of the shoulder 21 below the top of the clamp, or in other lords the height of the elevated portion of the top,'may be increased.

In order to facilitate the springing on of the clamp it is provided beneath and at the margin with a cavity to admit the upper edge of the permanent key button when the clamp is applied by a tilting action, as indicated in Fig. This cavity is shown. formed by interrupting the shoulder 21 at one point, the resulting recess enlargement, designated 23, being located adjacent the short hooked front claws 17. Thus, in applying the clamp the forward part thereof is first placed against the forward edge of the key button and the clamp is then swung downward until the back claws 18 snap over the back of the permanent key button and the top is horizontal. The cavity Q3 renders this operation coi'lvenient by. enabling the back claws to reach farther over the back of the permanent button during the tilting movement, thus decreasing the force that need be exerted and'reducmg the strain on the clamp. When the clamp is seated the cavity has no effect upon the holding.

The clamp as just described can heV made cheaply by simple die operations by using the proper grade of sheet metal, but the metal feasible for this purpose does not possess the proper qualities lfor'a Vspring clamp ywhich is to be repeatedly sprung on and off the key buttons and is required to hold firmly when in place. 1 have discovered, however, that the holding claws may be given the requisite elasticity by forming them with short vertical or loiigitiidinal ribs or corrugations 24, in thejbasal or upper portions of the claws, that is to say, above their innermost points.

The top of the clamp is reinforced by a plate or disk Q5, which in this instance occupies the upper part of the recess beneath the top formed by the raised portion 92. This reinforcing plate is held in place in a novel manner by having its peripheral portion or oppositely projecting lugs 9.6 forced into the side walls 27 of this recess, as shown in Fig. 1B. rlhe method of assen'ibling these two parts is indicated `in Figs. 11 and 12. rilhe reinforcing plate is introdut al into the recess, or the clamp with the recess is placed over it (which is the same thing), the plate 25 being in curved or bowed condition, which decreases the maximum width of the disk suiliciently to be received in the recess. That is to say, the size' of the disk is such that its lugs would prevent it being placed in the recess if tlat. Consequently by flattening the reinforcing platein the recess, as by means of a suitable bed member 28 and a plunger or hammer Q9, the lugs 2G are forced. endwise into the walls 27, being thus held in place with exceptional firmness and without special fastening means.

Registering openings 30 are formed inthe portion Q2 of the top of the clamp and in the reinforcing plate 25. They may be made by the same operation and mechanism that lforce the plate into holding engagement with the top of the clamp. 1n these openings the pins 16 are guideththe said pins being provided at their lower ends with heads or stops 31, which Contact with the reinforcing plate. The pins .are preferably spaced fore and aftnnd are located at opposite sides of the center of the clamp.' On the upper ends of the pins is solidly driven a plug of fiber or other suitable material forming the body .of the cap 14. The pins thus constitute plungers projecting' down. ward from the cap. The said plug is inclosed at top and sides by a suitable cover ing or casing 33, `which mayv be a Celluloid cup or a metal cup covered with Celluloid,` or of othersuitable material and construction, and suitably secured to the plug. The top of the covering bears the marksindieating the characters operated by the keys.

Between the cap 14 and clamp 13 is interposed the spring 15, which is preferably an approximatelyishaped spring such as is d`sclosed and claimed in my rior application, Serial No. 533,521, filed ec. .17, 1909. 1t is made of fiat stock bent two-present a proximately horizonte. loojzis other and reversely i posed,

...--e above t e Liedern es ing fore and aft, When the plug B2 driven onto the upper ends e' y .i places the spring under compr s' A at 'the cap iirinly yieldinoly supported es set forth in 'the aforesui nlicationq the spring is more yielding; a o e side er' the transverse center line than "he other. 'llhis may be ellected in a variety of Ways, one of which is described in the said al'iplieation. in the present instance one of the bei i.; Sli-j 85 may be made Stifter than the other by hitting the `bend a blow. This diili'erential yielding of the spring at iront and baelr compensates for any tilting of the vkey in its downward excursion. ln the case of key levers p'voted at *their rear ends, the Wealrer part of the spring is at the front, so that the top' ci the cap lllinay remain substantially horizont-al irrespective of the angular nieve :nent of its support. The guide pins 1.6 have suiiicient play in their openings 30 to permit the relative angular movement, ln the construction shown the lrey levers may be assumed to be pivoted at their rear ends, and. this being the case the bend is Wealrer and the bend stiffer, so that the cap tends to tilt to the rear undera finger blow, this tilting of the cap relatively to the key lever 'compensating for the reverse tilting due to the angular .noveme'nt of the lever. ln the case of inachines Whose construction is such that the keys tilt naturally toward thc rea-r, the spring is arranged `so as to counteract this ltilt by enabling the key cap to tilt for- Ward to the proper extent relatively to its support. The spring is held in place and kept from turning by the pins 1G, which preferably pass through vertically alined openings 3G in the several members of the spring. fhe pins.J it will be observed, also hold the cap against turning, as Well as holding it i'roni lateral displacement and. acting tension members to limit its unvvard movement under the action ot the The extensions l0 of the first and third row keys are separate from the Acaps lll; and are provided with means whereby they may be applied and removed by the operator. Furthermore, they are preferably of meta-l, con'crest-ing` With .the Celluloid or other suit able material. constituting the surface of the l have heretofore einfloyed extensions for the purpose ot affording added ra-'trilling surface so to lessen the chance of errors.,

but these extensions have formed permanent V)arts of the key caps and have been' of the saine material and appearance. The advantages oi the present kind of extension are numerous. ln the first place the lreys provided with them retain the appearance oi ordinary lreys, thereby avoiding arousing. the prejudice of naturally conservative persens. ln other Words7 they give the lreybeard a heater and less unusual appearance.

'acter may he found either in the' .the top and bottoni Walls been Geni-enst 'when the thfinj it na ltfnrtherlnore, while. extended 'part or all of thein ivorlr inust when the she becomes more 'pr lieient Wil, f l tended lieys than vH eys e?? .y

seine machines in which trie ce bar standsl abnormally high. fin sonie makes of ma" chinos extra characters usually placed in the first. or third rev.' may bevliound in t e second or fourth. row. which have been illustrated as unorovided with extensions: and i' this is the case the extension ina' he moved from such character so that it non forms with the rest el the rov. Or a char- 'irster third row. ln this case the removable sion may be applied either at the front orbaelr as the case may he. Another great ad-- vantage of separate extensions is the Ycheapening of manufacture by enabling the caps proper to he iliade circular.

rilie speciiie construction of the separate extensions may be varied. The preferred. embodiment .vill nou' be described. lt is made or one piece of sheet metal bent to 1n'esent `a tongue 87', insertible beneath the alp 14 to hold the Aextensirni piece in place, a bottoni Wall 38 extended forward from the tongue, and a top 'Wall 39 connected with the outer end ot' the bottoni Wall by a bentup end wall l0. The inner edge oi" the said top wall ineurved to conform to 'the side of the cap il against which itbears. The end Wall Gand the bends conn curved, also. i (arably conn u jog; or upward thc'hottoni f o l ension above the plane nl' the bf ein ol the cap. This provides i'foi a eonipal atively thin extension, thas affording,l sufficient clearance to prevent it-contactingl with the space har. The top wall 39v'is substantially flush with the top of the cap and forms an extension of the striking surface. Pieces fl-Qy may be bent downward from the outer end ot' the 'top wall 39 toY adjoin the end uall l0 and ioi'in side walls continuous therewith. rEhe f l cap, keeping it from tu l. rning and its upward movement.

'An attac iable key, comprising a clamp Constructed so aste be sprung; on and ott a regular hey button, a having a plunger guided in the top of the clamp, and a resilient cushion supporting :said can 6. An attaehable hey', Comprising a clamp constructed so as to be sprung on and oli7 e regular lreybutton, a cap yieldable relatively to the elarnp under the finger stroke, `guide pins spaced fore and ait, and a spring oon-- stituting a Ayielding; support for said cap.,

Y. An attaehable key, comprising a clamp Constructed so as to be sprung on and oil'x regular lrey button, a cap, zguide pins 'fined to the Cap and Working-in openings in the clamp, said pins beingl headed at their lower ends, and a spring interposed between the cap and olainp.

'8. An attaehable hey, comprising e, clamp constructed so as to' be sprung on and ed a regular lrey button, and having provision whereby its top is elevated, a oep, a spring interposed between the cap and clamp, and a pin fixed to the cap and iorliing in an opening in the elevated topcof the clamp, said pin being provided beneath said top with a retaining-enlargement.

9. An attaohable key, comprising'a clamp constructed so as to be sprungl on and oit a regular key button, a cap, headed pin passed loosely upward through an openingl in the clamp and having its upper end driven into the cap, and a spring` interposed between the eap and clamp.

l0. An attaohable key, comprising a clamp constructed so as to he sprung on and oi a .regular key button, e. cap comprising a plug and a covering therefor, a headed pin passed. loosely upward through an opening in the clamp and having its upper end driven. into said plug, and a spring interposed between the cap and the Clamp.

il. An. attac/hable hey, connorisiny a clamp formed et sheet metal and comprising a t o to cover a regular eey button and downward i projecting claws whereby it may be sprung on and ofi" the button, said tophaving; a shoulder' forming a seat to rest on the button and elevating the central part of the top, Whichcentral part is provided with guide openings, a ca pins secured thereto and Working in said openings, and a spring bearQ ing against the top of the clamp and the under side of the calo. l

12.An lat-taehable key having a sheet fin attaehable key having sheet nietal (Lamp Comprising a top to tover regular key button, side Walls to receive the sides th reef, and stift resilient claws at liront and back constructed to enable the clamp to be sprung on and olif the button, aid claws being bent inward sufficiently to snap beneath the button and one set of claws being longer 'than the other and having their extremities curved outward so as to facilitate the application of the clamp to the hutten.

M. An attachable key having sheet metal clamp comprising a cover for a regu, la r hey button having spring means to u, l ythe sides thereoi'l and a marginal shoulder which forms a seat and is interrupted one point by a recess enlargement faciliteit ing the springing on of the clamp by a til" ing action.

l5. An attaehable key having a sheet nieta l clamp Comprising a cover for a regular rey button having spring means to lern- `brace the sides thereof and a oavlty 1n its top at the margin to admit the edge of said button in springing the clamp thereon with a tilting action.

16. An attachable key having a sheet metal Clamp comprising al cover for a regir lar hey button having sets of downward projecting claws at front and baci; te eznbrace the button, and a cavity in its top adjacent one set oi claws to adisit the of the button in springing the clamp thereon, with a tilting action.-

l?. An attachable key having a ,sheet metal clamp adapted to be forced downward onto a regular key button, he ving` downward-projecting spring claws at 'trontand back :formed with longitudinal ribs.

i8. fin attaehable key, comprising z metal. @over for a regular key button hoiy ing spring means to vgrip the sides thereonl and reinforcing plate beneath the oit Said Cover and having* peripheraf. portions foreed into the sideslthereof, said plate and the top of the eover'having registering` open-` ings, in combination with a pin headed at its lower end passed loosely upward through said openings, a cap lined to the upper endA oiE said pin, and a spring interposed between said cover and cap. y

19. An attachable key, comprising a sheet metal clamp for attachment to a regular heyv button having spring means to grip the sides ther-eef and a'topetormed with a raised porgq llt;

yward through said reinforcing plate and raised portion, a cap fixed to the upper end of said pin, and a spring interposed between said 'cover and cap.

20. An attachable key, comprising a clamp constructed so as to be sprung on and off a regular key button, a cap, an S- shaped springbetween said clamp and cap, and a guide pin connecting said clamp and cap for relative movement and passing through =said spring.

2l. An attachable key, comprising a clamp constructed so as to be sprung on and off a regular kcy button, a cap, a spring between said clamp and cap, and spaced guide pins connecting said cap and clamp for relative movement and holding said spring against turning.

' 22. in attachablc key, comprising a clamp constructed so as to'be sprung on and of a regular key button, a cap, a spring between said cap and clamp more yielding at one side' of the transverse center than the other, and spaced guide pins connecting said cap and clamp for relative movement and holding said spring against turning.

23. An attachable key,y comprising a clamp constructed so as to be sprung onv and off a regular key button, a cap, a spring between the cap and clamp, a pin connecting the cap and clamp and permitting relative 'il' movement thereof, and a skirt inclosing said spring and pin,

24. An attachable key, comprising a clamp constructed so as to be sprung on and od' a regular key button, a cap, a spring between the cap and clamp, guide pins connecting the cap and clamp for relative movement, and a shell having a top beneath said ,cap and a skirt 'iiiclosing said pins and spring.

25. In a key, the combination of a siipport forming part of the key, a cap, a spring interposed between said support and the cap,

and a skirt depending from said cap and iiaring at the front to defiect inisdirccted linger blows.

26. An attachable key, comprising a clamp constructed sov as to be sprung on and ofi' a regular key button, a cap, a spring between the cap and-clamp forming a yielding support -for the former, and a shield movable with the cap and guarding said spring, said shield being inclined steeply downward and forward so as to defiect misdirected finger blows.

l'n a key, the combination of a moyable supporting ineinber forming part of the key, a cap yieldable relatively to said inember, a, pin fixed tb one of said parts and grorking in the' othenand a cushion spring between said member and c ap held in place by said pin.

28. In a key, the combination of a inovable supporting member forming part of the key, a cap yieldable relatively to said ineinber, guide pins spaced fore and aft, said pins,

the key, a cap yieldable relatively top said'.

member, an approximately S-shaped 'spring interposed as a resilient thrust connection between said cap and member with its loops disposed fore and aft, and guide pins spacedv fore and aft 'and spring.

30. In a key, the combination of a. mow4 able supporting member forming. part of the passing through said key, a cap yieldable relatively tosaid mem# ber, pins fixed to vone of said parts and working in openings in the other, said pins being provided with heads preventing separation of the parts, and a spring interposedas a cushion between said member and cap, s aid spring being formed of' flat stock bent to present loops one above the otherranging fore and aft and provided with openings through which said pins pass. Y i

3l. A keycap having a separate attachable and detachable horizontal extension of its striking surface, said extension being substantially in the plane of the top of the key cap.

A key cap having a circular top and a horizontal extension of its striking'surfaoe o'f different material from said circular top, said extension being substantially in the plane of the top of the key cap.

` The' combination of a key cap having pins projecting downward therefrom, and an extension `piece affording an extension of the striking surface of the 'cap'and having?, a tongue inserted ybeneath the cap and provided with a slot to receive said pins.

34. The combination of a key cap having pins projecting downward therefrom,v and an extension piece affording` an extension of the striking surface'of the cap and having a tongue insertible beneaththe cap and providedwith a slot to receive said pins, said-- slot being constricted at one point so as to yield in being forced onto the pins and to i hold the tongue against withdrawal.

v35. The combination of a key cap, an extension piece haying` a slotted tongue inserted beneath said Cap, and means beneath the cap received inthe slot in said tongue to hold itin place includingr a lip which under-l lies and supports the tongue at the rear end of the slot. l

36. In a kev the combination of a supporting member, a cap, a cushion spring between the supporting member and cap, an eX- tension piece having atongue insertible between the top of the spring and the underside of the cap, said tongue and the top of the spring being provided with 7protuberances and sockets constituting yielding locking means.

37.' In a key, the combination with a supporting member, a cap, and a cushion spring between the supporting member and cap, of an attachable and detachable extension piece held between said spring and cap.

Y 38. In a key, the combination with a sulofv porting member, a Cap, a cushion spring between Said member and cap, spaced fore and aft guide pins connectingr said cap and member for relative movement, and an extension piece having a tongue held between said spring and cap and provided with Va slot reA ceving Said pins which keep it from turning.

B9. The combination of a key cap, an extension piece constituting an extension of the striking surface of the cap, and means for attaching said extension piece at'either the front orthe back of the same cap. y

40. The combination ofia key cap, an eX- tension piece affording an extension of the dstriking surface of the cap, and a tongue supporting the extension piece and held beneath the cap.

4:1. An extension piece for key caps formed of one piece of sheet metal bent to present a top having its inner edge formed to fit the side of the cap, the metal being bent downward at the outer end of the top, then inward and extended to form a tongue adapted to underlie the cap.

i2. An extension piece for key caps formed of onepieoe of sheet metal bent to present a tongue adapted to underlie the cap, a bottoni wall connected withv said tongue by a jog whereby the bottom of the extension is elevated above the bottom of the Cap, and a top wall continuous with the outer end of said bottom wall and havingits inneredge formed to 'lt against the side of the cap.

43. The combination with a key cap, of an attaohable and detachable extension piece of less depth than the/cap and having an at taohing tongue underlying the cap and offset downward from the Abottom of the extension.

In witness whereof I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. HOTSON. 1Witnesses:

MARGARET M. BURNET, E. GREENBERGER. 

